


A Long Walk Home

by Onlymystory



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Related, Everyone Is Poly Because Avengers, Fix-It, M/M, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 22:05:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18748027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlymystory/pseuds/Onlymystory
Summary: “Sam,” Bucky finally says, voice heavy. “About Steve.”“What about Steve?” says Sam.Bucky takes a deep breath. “That man on the bench today? That’s not Steve Rogers.”“Maybe not the Steve we thought we knew.”“No. I mean, that man has never been and will never be Steve Rogers. But whoever it was wanted to be very sure we believed it.”Sam inhales. Exhales. “So we have a problem.”





	A Long Walk Home

**Author's Note:**

> I mean, obviously that Endgame ending was bullshit. Things to know throughout this work.  
> -This is a threesome story. Steve/Bucky/Sam is the point. I do not however believe that a triad must be always together all three at the same time to be a healthy relationship. So if you're someone who can handle Bucky/Sam if Steve's involved, but not separate, this may not be for you.  
> -This technically kicks off at that final scene, but I am playing it all kinds of fast and loose with all the mcu canon. As we do.  
> -Title is from Bruce Springsteen's "A Long Walk Home" which is off his "Magic" album which I highly recommend listening to.  
> -Also, certain things about how Steve and Bucky talk in this chapter are supposed to sound off.

“Guess it’s my turn to say goodbye,” says Bucky as Sam walks back towards them. Sam’s face holds too many emotions to fully dissect, but Bucky can recognize several of them. Frustration that Steve didn’t come back the way he wanted, a little awe that he’s carrying the shield now, maybe an attempt to be at peace with Steve finding his peace. Sam’s eyes show nothing but sorrow though. Sorrow at what might have been, at what’s only been hinted at so far as all three of them have had so few chances at learning what their new normal is. What it could be. 

Bucky doesn’t have time to deal with this right now. He slides into the spot next to Steve. “Hiya jerk,” he says quietly, nudging Steve with his shoulder. 

“Bucky,” returns Steve. His voice is older, but still sure. “I’m...I’m sorry. I know you probably expected I’d come back and keep fighting the good fight alongside you. I just couldn’t. I went back and I saw Peggy and you know how I felt, how I feel.”

“Love of your life is what you told me,” answers Bucky. “I get it. I was your best friend. Some people you just can’t shake.” 

Steve is quiet for a long moment. “I’m sorry I couldn’t change more of history. If I had…”

“If you had, we might not have saved the world.”

“Yeah.” Steve’s sigh is heavy. “I’m sorry, Bucky.”

Bucky nods. “What’s done is done, Steve. You were happy?”

“I was happy.”   
“Then that’s all I can ask for. Even if you do have an uglier mug these days.”

Steve laughs softly. “I’ve stayed healthy, just age does catch up to you after a point. Even for us.”

Bucky pats Steve’s knee in comfort. “You’ll be around though? Be my wingman for a 21st century dame?”

“Just like always.”

They sit for a few more minutes, then Bucky straightens. “You did good choosing Sam.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. He’s a good man, he’ll be a good man behind the shield.”

Steve reaches out a hand and Bucky grasps it firmly, a goodbye to a chapter evident in the movement. “Bye Bucky.”

“Bye Steve, try to be less of a jerk in your old age.” Bucky grins while Steve laughs and then stands, returning to Bruce and Sam at the quantum portal. 

Steve sits by the water for a while as they pack up, then walks away down another path. The sound of an old truck indicates his departure a few minutes later. 

Bruce is loading up the last of the equipment as Bucky feels Sam come up beside him. Sam wraps an arm around Bucky’s shoulders, an unfamiliar gesture but not entirely unwelcome after fighting a war together. “Are you going to be alright, man?”

“Could use a stiff drink,” answers Bucky. “I know Stark’s gonna be healing for a while, but he won’t mind if we raid his stash at the compound will he?”

Sam shrugs. “Can always tell him Thor stopped by for a visit.”

“Then let’s go.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

* * *

 

It’s late when they get back to upstate New York. The compound is relatively unharmed from the fallout of the last five years. A little dusty in the unused areas, but as it stayed a base for the existing Avengers, it was kept up fairly well. They take one of the smaller cottages by unspoken agreement, not quite ready to settle in with the rest of the Avengers in the big facility. Besides, thinks Bucky, its kind of a mess anyway. Barton isn’t talking to anyone, hasn’t since he came back with the soul stone and without Natasha. When he’s ready to talk strategy for bringing her back, Bucky will be there. 

Tony is in the medical wing under the care of the finest surgeons and scientists they’ve got. He has a very, very long healing process ahead of him, but everyone is optimistic. Thor left with the Guardians, Strange is off doing his thing. Really thinks Bucky, there aren’t that many of them hanging around right now. Everyone who isn’t recovering from severe injuries is needing a breather before they rebuild the world. 

He and Sam take turns showering, then Bucky digs through the cabinets for something to constitute dinner. There’s enough for spaghetti and a quick run to one of the storage buildings yields hamburger meat and butter for garlic bread. Bucky couldn’t tell you where he learned to make this, but it seems cooking is something he can do. 

He’s quiet as he cooks, mulling the day over in his mind. He needs to talk to Sam about a few things. 

But when Sam emerges, looking less like the swaggering, confident soldier Bucky’s used to and more like a guy who’s just realizing how much he’s lost, Bucky figures the conversation can wait until the morning. 

They eat in semi-silence, have a few rounds of Tony’s scotch, then Sam’s getting up, walking away. “I’m sorry, Bucky,” says Sam. “I think I just need some sleep. I’ll try to be better company tomorrow.”

Bucky nods. He’s still not very used to talking more than absolutely necessary, definitely a holdover from his conditioning, but his time in Wakanda was very beneficial for understanding the power of letting things be. He can give Sam tonight. 

A little more cleanup and Bucky turns in too, falling asleep within seconds of his face touching the pillow.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

* * *

 

Bucky’s awake what seems like minutes later, though his phone indicates he’s had at least three hours of sleep. A noise woke him, it takes a few seconds to place the sound as muffled crying. 

Bucky’s still light on his feet, deathly quiet when he moves, and he stands in the doorway to Sam’s room, not completely sure how to approach the man on the bed. 

It only takes a moment or so for Sam to realize he’s not alone. He makes some sort of hand waving motion, what Bucky is expected to take from that, Bucky isn’t about to guess. Sam swipes at the tears, not in an ashamed manner, but like he’s trying to watch Bucky. “I didn’t realize it would hit this hard,” says Sam. “I should have. I mean, everyone knows about Steve’s great love for Peggy and I’ve literally spent the last ten years at his side looking for or trying to save you. I know how he feels. I know this.”

“Cap did love Peggy,” is Bucky’s response to this outpouring of words. 

“Cap, Steve, whatever,” replies Sam. “I guess some stupid part of me just had this weird hope and even if that hope was quashed completely, I just thought he’d be back. We’d all move forward. He’d help fix the world. He’d…”

Bucky sits on the edge of the bed. “He was supposed to keep moving forward with the rest of us.”   
Sam wipes away a few more tears, chokes on the next few words, “I thought I mattered more, I thought...I thou...I” his breath comes shakier, shorter gasps, the beginnings of a panic attack. Sam’s hands wrap around his legs, pulling in tight, his whole body shaking. 

Bucky can’t say what he’s thinking in the moment, what possesses him to react like he does, but he pushes past Sam’s wall, takes Sam’s head in his hands and kisses him. Sam rears back, looks at Bucky. Bucky waits, watches, considers the man in front of him who if nothing else is breathing normally again. Sam breathes again, whispers “fuck it” and surges back up to meet Bucky, kissing back this time. 

Bucky crawls up the bed, pushing Sam back into the pillows as he takes more from their kiss. He runs his tongue along the seam of Sam’s lips, waiting until they part to push his tongue in, tasting as much of Sam as he can. 

“Bucky,” gasps Sam, when he pulls back. 

“I’ve got you.” And Bucky does. He and Sam still have to get to know each other, but right now, right here, they both need a few minutes out of their own heads and oh Bucky can do that. 

He pushes Sam’s arms up, knocks Sam’s hands into the headboard and the man takes the hint and wraps his hands around the posts, arching up into Bucky as he does so. “Bucky...fuck…”

Bucky’s already sliding down Sam’s body, twisting and tweaking Sam’s nipples as he moves, soothing them with a kiss. Sam holds himself steady, his grip tight on the headboard, feet pressing firmly into the mattress as he watches Bucky. 

Bucky doesn’t waste time, stripping Sam of his briefs as fast as he can, surging back to place a kiss on the inside of Sam’s thigh before he bites and sucks. Sam twitches beautifully at each touch. His cock is hard in front of Bucky, a dribble of precum at the tip. “Bucky…”

He doesn’t tease, doesn’t stroke Sam first, build him up. No, they’re both nearly there already, so Bucky just wraps his mouth around Sam and takes him down to the hilt, filling his mouth as much as possible. 

“Fuck, fuck, oh my god,” breathes Sam, hands tangling in Bucky’s hair. 

Bucky reaches a hand up to indicate Sam should pull harder. Sam obliges and Bucky thanks him by swirling a tongue around his cock.

“Bucky, I’m gonna come,” pants Sam, “oh my fuck!”

He responds by looking up at Sam, catching his eyes and that seems to do it for Sam, because he’s coming, body arching up into Bucky and Bucky sucks him down, swallows it all before rising, his eyes a little wild. Sam pulls him up to him, kisses him, holding his head with one hand and reaching his other hand down to stroke Bucky, motions fast and twisting. 

Bucky comes within a few strokes, panting into Sam’s mouth, then kissing him hard. Bucky leans back, then kisses Sam once more before rolling over on the bed, breathing hard as he recovers. Sam’s breath is just as heavy. 

“That was…” Sam’s voice trails off.

“Unexpected?” asks Bucky wryly. 

“Yes…” answers Sam. “Though as good as it was, maybe I shouldn’t be quite so surprised.”

“I’ll take the compliment where I can,” snarks Bucky. 

They breathe in silence for a few minutes, Sam’s shoulder presses into Bucky’s and Bucky keeps his leg curled around Sam. 

Sam leans his head onto Bucky’s shoulder. “Thank you. After today, with Steve, just thank you Bucky.”

Bucky lets time pass a little longer before he speaks. “Sam,” he says finally, voice heavy. “About Steve.”

“What about Steve?” says Sam. “Because I want to be happy for him, but it might be a while. And we deserve a little joy of our own, however we can get it.”

“Agreed.” Bucky takes a deep breath. “It’s just that man on the bench today? That’s not Steve Rogers.”

“Maybe not the Steve we thought we knew.”

“No. I mean, that man has never been and will never be Steve Rogers. But whoever it was wanted to be very sure we believed it.”

Sam inhales. Exhales. “So we have a problem.”


End file.
